WHERE BOTH ENDS MEET

A collaborative approach to developing the digital

research agenda

Sarah Quinton and Ana Isabel Canhoto

Senior Lecturers Marketing

Oxford Brookes University

• Transformative for social science ‘as Galileo’s telescope was for the physical sciences’ (Baker, 2009)

• Allows practitioners to ‘feel the heartbeat of today’s society’ (Casteleyn, Mottart et al., 2009, p. 439)

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Impact of digital

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

‘What are the research priorities of academics and practitioners working in the digital arena?’

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Research question

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

• Growing gap between marketing practitioners and academics (Hughes et al., 2008; Tapp, 2004)

• Increasing pressure for universities and industry to collaborate

• Government funding (Berman, 2008)

• Commercial organisations may have better data, technology or techniques

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A collaborative approach

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

• Very different goals, capabilities and epistemological stances (Bansal, et al., 2012)

• Exploratory study with practitioners and academics

• Group discussions to stimulate new ideas and concepts for further research (Finch and Lewis, 2003)

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Bridging, not closing, the gap

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

Workshop 1: Working together

“…showcasing and sharing the latest in digital research practice, helping to set the agenda for tomorrow”.

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Industry and Academic approach problems with different frames of mind:

“We don't know what we don't know and that's where it is useful to have partnerships with universities because they think laterally and not about solving specific problems.”

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Benefits of cooperation

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

• Great research done by business but not known by (or considered) by academics because it is not peer-reviewed

• Great research done by

academia but

behind paid walls

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Awareness

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

It’s not (just) about the money: Collaboration requires right environment• Google staff spend time

researching and experimenting

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Role of context

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

Workshop 2: Developing the agenda

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Structure

• 3 x Interventions by practitioners & academics

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

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Structure

• Group discussions• ID of themes

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

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Topics identified

About digital – relevance to different

subject areas

Beyond digital-

implications for business and society

Being digital-

citizens in a digital world

Using digital - methods

and models for research

in digital

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

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Limitations and moving forward

• Small sample• ‘Digital friendly’ sample• Application of themes for

marketing practitioners?

• Hub: http://oxforddigitalresearch.com

Quinton and Canhoto (2014)

WHERE BOTH ENDS MEET

A collaborative approach to developing the digital

research agenda

Sarah Quinton and Ana Isabel Canhoto

Senior Lecturers Marketing

Oxford Brookes University